We’ll start with the question: should the NHL do away with the goalie trapezoid rule? For a quick refresher, the NHL prohibits a goalie from handling the puck outside of a trapezoid area behind the red line. If a goalie does, in fact, handle the puck outside that area, his team is given a two minute penalty for delay of game. The rule was enacted as a post-lockout action with the intention of improving goal scoring opportunities by limiting the exceptional puck handling abilities of offense-killers such at Martin Brodeur.

PHT readers agreed with my assessment that the rule is unfair to goalies. (click to enlarge the results.)

That being said, readers straightened me out on the issue of enforcing icing on penalty kills. I still think that the idea would be at least interesting, but let’s take a look at the poll results first. (Again, click to enlarge the results.)

Both polls were lopsided in a near 3-to-1 ratio. One commenter “dw” had an interesting idea that could be a compromise regarding icing on penalty kills. (I’ll publish the comment as it was.)

maybe we should take a page out of college hockey, I believe that while they try to kill a penalty the defensive team has to advance the puck over the blue line and then are able to dump the puck into the attackers zone, this is just one idea that just might work and please let’s get rid of the trapazoid [sic] it’s hindered some of the better skating and puck handling goalies.

Perhaps that could be a solid compromise. Instead of being too harsh by not allowing the defensive team to ice the puck, a player could do so once he advances past the blue line. I like that because the PK’ers would at least need to show minimal puck possession before they get rid of the puck.

Obviously, this is one of those summertime diversion-type debates. I don’t think the league’s system with power plays is broken (at least when it comes to icing), but it’s fun to discuss ways to improve the game. Yet, when it comes to the trapezoid, I think we can agree that it’s not very fair to goalies.

I am as surprised as you about the second poll …
Any Chance you can put up a poll asking about no touch icing? For years I have told all my friends (or anyone that will listen) that this needs to be adopted yesterday. It makes too much sense, how many times have we seen players crash into boards whie chasing the puck with their legs tied up and get hurt? and those never seem to be minor injuries they are always career shortening ones